Religion in Ukraine: West and East

Religion is a centuries-old and enougha multifaceted concept. This is the meaning of life for the absolute majority of believers. Historically, Ukraine is a state, gathered from different parts of the world. The same is true of the creed of people living on these lands. It is believed that in the west of Ukraine Catholicism prevails, and the main religion in Ukraine in the east is Orthodoxy. However, in addition to these beliefs, here you can find a huge number of other fragments of different cultures.

The status of religion in the state

As in any civilized country, relationsbetween secular power and the government in Ukraine are fixed at the legislative level: in the Constitution and in certain national and international legal acts. According to these laws, every modern person has the right not only to freedom of speech and thought, but also to choose a religion. Separately regulated and the activities of all religious institutions. Among other things, all property issues of churches and parishes are legislatively fixed. Also, the educational process, employment and distribution of priests are established.

In general, religion in Ukraine in the 20th century has everythinglegal rights to existence and development. No matter what religion people profess: Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism or Islam - all have the right to the same development.

Religion in Ukraine in Figures

Not so long ago in official sources wasthe report of the Ministry of Culture was published. It was devoted to the statistics of religious organizations operating in Ukraine. According to this report, there are more than 55 religious lines in the country.

The Christian religion in Ukraine is the mostnumerous. It includes representatives of the Moscow and Kiev Patriarchate, UAOC, UGCC and the Roman Catholic Church. All of them are placed with a total number of parishes and monasteries in descending order.

For example, the most numerousdirection of the Moscow Patriarchate. There are more than 12,000 parishes and 190 monasteries. The smallest one can be called the Roman Catholic Church. Its parishioners can visit more than 900 parishes and 100 monasteries.

Represented in Ukraine and the Protestant movement. It:

• Union of Christian Baptists (2500 organizations).
• Evangelical Pentecostals (1600 parishes).
• Seventh-day Adventists (1000 organizations).
• Witnesses of Jehovah (1000 communities).

The question arises as to which religions exist inUkraine, in addition to Christianity and Protestantism. Of course, this is Judaism (about 280 organizations), Islam (1200 communities) and small confessional areas.

Orthodoxy

Kievan Rus, which included the territorymodern Ukraine in the Middle Ages, has become the main focus of the formation of Christianity. And the first, the most reliable documentary evidence of this process is the Tale of Bygone Years. This source tells in detail about the formation and the first steps of Orthodoxy in Ukraine and in Russia.

Prince Vladimir of Kiev for a long time chose betweenexisting religions in the world, before giving preference to Christianity. He pursued the goal not only to unite the disparate pagan lands, but also to create strong political ties with the western and eastern states.

Orthodoxy proved to be the most optimal option. After all, Vladimir's grandmother, Princess Olga, first brought this belief from Byzantium. With her, the temple of Elijah the Prophet was built. Having married the Byzantine princess, Vladimir was baptized.

Today, what religion prevails in Ukraine,it's not a secret to anybody. The most difficult was planting Christianity in the outback and on the outskirts of the country, where the borders of other pagan states passed. However, in the end the people accepted the merciful customs of faith in Christ.

Religion in Ukraine in the 19th century

Religion is what is formed onfor many years under the influence of a huge number of factors. Religion is a kind of politics. It was her many rulers who used to control their own people.

Religion in Ukraine in the 19th century was no exception. At that time, the country was divided between two warring states: Russia and the Austrian Empire. Religion became the lever through which it was possible to manage a huge mass of believers without difficulty. In the west, for this purpose, the Catholic church was used, and in the east - the Orthodox church. And each side tried to attract parishioners to the side of the ruling monarchy.

Religion in the territory of Eastern Ukraine

According to many researchers, in this partthe country has a much smaller number of believers than in the western and central regions. The proportion of religiously minded people here is about 70%. Of course, like in other parts of Ukraine, it is mostly women.

According to research on "Religion inUkraine "from 2005 on 10 000 inhabitants here there were only from 1 to 3 religious organizations. At the same time, the least of them were in Kharkov, Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

The absolute majority of parishioners possessesThe Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which refers to the Moscow Patriarchate. It belongs to more than half of all believers in Eastern Ukraine. Less than 10% of the parishioners belong to the Kyiv Patriarchate. Protestant movements are also quite developed here, namely Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, etc. There are also separate adherents of Judaism and Islamism.

Religion in Western Ukraine

According to many studies,the territory of the state is unevenly distributed. Objective reasons for this can be a huge number: education, traditions, history, industrialization, etc. It is believed that the largest number of believers account for the western regions of Ukraine. There more than 96% of inhabitants actively attend churches and parishes, observe religious canons and holidays.

Initially, the lands of Western Ukraine were underpatronage of the Vladimir-Volyn diocese, subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church. The first Catholic churches, which are so common today, appeared there in the late 13th century. And frequent interventions from Lithuania, Poland, Austria-Hungary and other western principalities contributed to their spread.

To date, religion in Ukraine, in itswestern part, is represented in most of the Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic churches. They are known for more zealous than the ROC, the attitude to faith and its canons. More active ecclesiastical policy allowed almost completely to oust the Orthodox Church. To a greater extent, it is represented not by the Moscow Patriarchate, but by the "schismatics" - the Kiev confession.